Q : What do you think about the Egyptian government’s decision to request that the Interior Ministry put an end to the Muslim Brotherhood’s sit-in and what could be the consequences of such an undertaking?

A : We remain extremely concerned by the situation in Egypt.

The Egyptians must make efforts to de-escalate the situation. The right to demonstrate peacefully must be respected. Gestures must be made on both sides in order to ease tensions and facilitate a compromise.

The transition must be continued by including all political forces and must result in the transfer of power to the democratically elected civilian authorities as swiftly as possible.

That’s the thrust of the conclusions of the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting on July 22, 2013, calling for the release of the imprisoned political leaders, as well as their participation in the political transition.